


Happiness Comes in Waves

by nerdlife4eva



Series: Crusaders of Fluff! [10]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Fairy Tale Elements, Falling In Love, First Kiss, M/M, Mermaids, Presents, Seung Gil is an artist, Seungchuchu Week, Seungchuchu Week 2017, True Love's Kiss, Victuuri (background)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-21
Updated: 2018-01-01
Packaged: 2019-01-20 13:58:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12434301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nerdlife4eva/pseuds/nerdlife4eva
Summary: Inspiration is a spark that leads to the fire of creativity. This is the story of how Seung-gil finds his spark in the most unlikely of places.This is a collaboration contribution by myself andMagical-Mistalfor the wonderfulSeungchuchu Week on TumblrThe amazing art (seriously it is breath-taking, please go give Mistral some love because this is one of my favorite pieces of all time) can be foundhere





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [magical_mistral](https://archiveofourown.org/users/magical_mistral/gifts).



> This story is basically my love letter to Magical-Mistral. Whether she realizes it or not, everything she does inspires me, even during my worst writer's block (which has been going on for WEEKS now), I look at her art and I want to write. In a lot of ways, writing Seung-gil's part of this was writing my own heart, and writing Phichit was how Mistral makes me feel. When I am uninspired or lost or feeling disconnected, she is right there to support me. I don't say it enough, but I truly appreciate everything she has brought into my life. 
> 
> If you want to see what else we have created together, you can follow any of these links to see the level of inspiration she has brought into my life. Mistral, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for allowing me to be a part of your life. You are my spark. 
> 
>  
> 
> [Crop Top Distraction](http://archiveofourown.org/works/11653155)  
> [Snow Day](http://archiveofourown.org/works/11653221)  
> [Dinopapasauras](http://archiveofourown.org/works/11574564)  
> [Keep Calm and Belly Dance](http://archiveofourown.org/works/11652960)  
> [When you wish upon the stars](http://archiveofourown.org/works/11497113)  
> [Crusaders of Fluff! series](http://archiveofourown.org/series/804513)  
> [When Parrot Met Hamster (a Seungchuchu series)](http://archiveofourown.org/series/821052)  
> [When Sarcasm and Optimism Collide a Seungchuchu Law AU with illustrations by Magical-Mistral](http://archiveofourown.org/works/11844675/chapters/26739171)

The world was dark.

Staring at a ceiling that had become strangely familiar, Seung-gil contemplated the darkness. It was ordinary in the same way any darkened room would look at this hour of the night, but it felt less oppressive than the darkness he had left behind. This lack of light felt less like a part of his soul and more like the last step before the end of the tunnel.

The island house, isolated from the nearest town by at least thirteen miles, stood on elevated pillars overlooking the calming waves of the ocean. It wasn’t as blue as he had been promised, but Seung-gil found the murky green almost more appealing than the transparent hue that his agent had described. The sand was also less white and browner than Seung-gil had expected, but somehow that had easily been accepted too. He didn’t have the energy to argue over much of anything, and he had wondered over the first few days if his old self would have had a different opinion.

That person no longer existed though. Seung-gil sighed, throwing the covers from his legs as he slipped from his bed to wander toward the coffee machine. The artist formerly known as Lee Seung-gil had disappeared into nothingness, inspiration and talent evaporating moments after Seung-gil had reached his peak.

The gallery opening was the biggest that his agent had ever planned, and according to the media, it had been a roaring success. Every painting and picture sold within the first hour and the money that Seung-gil had earned would be enough to comfortably support him, for several years. His career was taking off, in a way he had always dreamed, and that should have been the source of endless happiness.

Instead, Seung-gil had gone numb. He watched each of his works packed into bubble wrap and prepared to be delivered to their new homes, without any sense of bittersweet loss. It used to be that his work was a part of him, a story he needed to tell in his own way. None of that existed and Seung-gil felt himself detaching with every frame shoved into a plain cardboard wrapping.

Placing a coffee filter in the top of the coffee machine, Seung-gil dumped the scoops of coffee onto the white paper without a care as to the proportions. Coffee was also a means to an end, the small catalyst that would revive his brain only to the point that he would feel human. Nothing could completely awaken his brain, and Seung-gil had resigned himself to a life as a recluse, an artist that had once shown great potential only to fizzle out in his prime.

Another sigh escaped him as the coffee began to drip into the glass carafe. Losing interest in the brewing process, Seung-gil peered out of the window of the kitchen, eyes observing the beach which was mere feet from his front door. His favorite spot, a group of rocks that jutted out into the ocean, looked welcoming even in the stunted moonlight. When the sun rose, they would be bathed in sunlight and their surfaces would be warm to the touch, even as the cool waves lapped against the stone sides. It was a treacherous path to reach the furthest rock, but Seung-gil’s lack of care for his own life at the moment let him take the risk every day.

Turning to grab a mug from the small rack over the sink, Seung-gil stopped to run his fingers over the assortment of items lined up across the small shelf hanging in the middle of the wall. Seashells and sea glass were prominent in this tiny collection, along with open clam shells and damaged fishing lures. Each item was unique in size and color, and Seung-gil took great care cleaning each one before placing it on the shelf.

He hadn’t found the items as much as they had found him. His time on the island was about to eclipse one calendar month and his time spent on the rocks was almost equal to that. The little gifts, as the small part of his brain that still believed in fantasy and mystery liked to call them, had started appearing nearly two weeks ago and he found himself cherishing each one of them for reasons he never analyzed.

They had appeared one at a time, sitting on the flat part of his favorite rock each morning when he ventured out to take his place on the edge of his island. He had hoped to find the will to create again, the desire to put his artist’s tools to paper and bring to life everything he saw in the world. Only the motivation remained locked inside of him, hidden behind mounds of self-doubt and other emotions he had no desire to explore. The little trinkets kept him returning to the rock though, a tiny bit of hope for a new surprise greeting him every morning.

His favorite of the set was now attached to his dull gray bag, hooked on by a handmade loop created by manipulating a fishing hook. The glue gun he had discovered at the bottom of one of the kitchen drawers had come in handy and now the seashell hung as the only adornment to his otherwise plain satchel.

Seung-gil smiled thinking about the tiny purple shell and the way it caught the sunlight in a shining gleam. It was always warm to the touch and smooth under his thumb, reminding him of the way a worry stone provided comfort. Looking at the shell had made a glimmer of inspirational hope flutter inside of him, and Seung-gil was still clingy to the desperate notion that he would eventually feel again. Going from a fountain of continuous need to create to a desert of barely formed ideas had wreaked havoc on Seung-gil’s heart, and he flinched as he tried to grab at the strings inside his mind again.

He missed the feverish need to produce all of the images in his mind. His therapist called it depression and his mother had said it was his own fault for picking a frivolous profession. Seung-gil still questioned his decision to reach out to her, even though the conversation had happened months ago. His family hadn’t questioned his need to move to a mostly deserted island, having no need for his existence in their daily lives. It was better that way, he mused, letting the heat of his coffee spill down his throat in one long sip, he liked being alone and he had never measured up to his family’s standards anyway. Here he could be whatever he wanted, even if that was currently being useless, listless, and uninspired.

Finishing his coffee, Seung-gil let his fingers linger over the trinkets on his shelf before heading for the bedroom to dress for his day. Behind him, where he wasn’t watching, the sun burst over the horizon bathing the world in light.

* * *

 

Arms braced against the closet rock, Phichit watched as the slim figure made his way over the jagged grouping of gray stones. The cluster had existed for as long as Phichit could remember, but he had never seen any human brave enough to venture out onto them. This human, with his sad eyes and wild black hair, walked across the unsteady terrain as if were as even as the ocean surface before a storm.

The first time Phichit saw him, there had been tears staining the flawless cheeks as they fell to join the ocean waves. The tiny splashes had fascinated him, the way the tears ran in lines down the stranger’s face and dripped from his chin as his chest heaved with sobbing breaths. Phichit had only seen one other human cry, but those tears had been the product of happiness while this man’s tears looked soaked with misery. Still, Phichit felt unexplainably drawn to this man, the urge to stop his sadness and make him happy was overwhelming. Only his nerves had kept him from swimming through the water, as his heart wanted him to leap onto the rocks and pull the crying stranger into his arms.

After the man had gathered his things on that first day, traversing the rocks with his head still hanging low, Phichit decided what he needed to do. Carefully, he had left the triangle of blue sea glass on the flattest part of the furthest rock, exactly where the beautiful sad man had been. Although Phichit had explored the rocks before, filling in the hours of loneliness now that his only companion had left the island, he didn’t dare expose too much of himself in case the stranger returned. Leaving the glass on the furthest rock would allow Phichit to hide while placing it, but also would hopefully ensure that the man would sit close to the water letting Phichit see his reaction to the gift.

At the first gift the man had looked confused, reaching down to take hold of the glass and then lifting it to the sun to examine the smoothed edges. There had been a hint of a smile, and Phichit happily noted that the man hadn’t cried that day. He had sat for hours, a large white book on his lap and a pencil drooping in his hand, but there hadn’t been any tears. Phichit decided that if gifts from his collection could prevent the man’s tears, then he would leave one every day.

So he had. Each morning before sunrise, Phichit placed a new treasure on the same spot. Ducking to hide beneath the cover of a moss draped rock, he waited each day for the man to arrive, holding his breath until he saw the hint of a smile break across the solemn face. He wondered, every time he saw the smile, if this was how Yuuri had felt seeing Victor smile for all of those months. Phichit pushed the thought away, telling himself that the odds of two mermen finding humans to love on the same island were extremely small and definitely not in his favor.  

Scanning the horizon, Phichit squealed when he spotted his favorite person walking in a meandering path across the shoreline. The man never moved in any sort of hurry, and Phichit spent hours contrasting the calm of his human versus the bouncing ball who was Yuuri’s human. He had told himself these were dangerous thoughts, but Phichit couldn’t resist the instinctual pull of his heart toward the man who was currently throwing sticks for the gray and white dog on the beach.

Victor had taught Phichit and Yuuri about dogs. In the months before Yuuri decided to leave the water to stay with Victor on the land, Victor’s brown dog would run into the water to play games with Phichit, licking his face and wrestling in the shallow part of the water near the beach. She had been a bundle of curly, furry energy and Phichit had missed her as much as his friends.

This man’s dog seemed older than Victor’s dog and while this furry creature was still fetching sticks, there was a distinct purpose to everything the dog did. Phichit watched, eyes wide as he observed the pair, contemplating if all dogs matched their owners.

When the pair reached the edge of the rocks, the man continued to walk while his dog sauntered back to a place on the beach and laid down. The man always left two bowls on the beach for the dog and Phichit found himself wanting to know what was in them. It was one of thousands of questions he had for the new person in his life, but first he had to have the courage to say hello.

It had been easy for Yuuri. Victor had fallen out of a dingy, splashing around in the water while his absurdly long coat attempted to drag him under the water. Ignoring Phichit’s warnings, Yuuri had saved Victor and the rest of their love story was probably a plot in one of Victor’s books now. They had left the island almost six months ago, and Phichit was convinced that he was doomed to be alone forever. Until the day that the man with the melancholy gray eyes had appeared to ignite hope in Phichit’s world.

Steeling his shoulders, Phichit nodded his head in determination. Today he was going to say hello. Today he was going to change his own fate.

* * *

 

The best part of the rock formation was the illusion that Seung-gil was teetering on the edge of the world. Facing the sea there was nothing but the line of the horizon to anchor him to the earth. He could easily pretend that the people screaming to know where he went, the judgements of his parents, and the stack of disappointment gathering back home, didn’t exist. At the edge of his own reality, Seung-gil could truly be alone and let the burdens building blocks in his mind fall away.

Settling on his favorite spot, Seung-gil flipped the iridescent blue shell in his hand. It flashed as it caught the sunlight, reminding him of the glimmer from his purple shell. Reaching to the next rock, he unhooked the purple shell from his bag and laid it together with the blue one on his knee. They made a beautiful pair, different in appearance, but complimentary in every way. Smiling, Seung-gil slid the pencil from behind his ear and began to sketch.

“What are you drawing?”

The voice had Seung-gil screaming, tossing his pad into the air as he fell forward into the water. Panic set in as he flailed his arms, water rushing over his head as he desperately tried to move toward the surface. Nothing worked and he watched the light of the sky fade as he sunk deeper into the water.

He screamed again, breathing in water and choking, when a pair of arms circled his waist. Caught between wanting to live and not wanting to be held by a stranger, Seung-gil squirmed awkwardly, unsure what he was really fighting. When he realized that the surface of the water was rushing toward him, he gave in to the hold around his waist and let himself be pulled to safety.

Both bodies burst out of the water, torsos bobbing together as Seung-gil sputtered and coughed. Phichit was apologizing at a rapid speed, hand flitting over Seung-gil’s face and hair in an odd attempt to provide comfort. Not knowing what to do, Phichit released his hold on Seung-gil and promptly squawked when Seung-gil disappeared under the water again. Diving back down, Phichit dragged Seung-gil back up, this time keeping a firm hand around the slender waist.

Seung-gil was frozen. The person in front of him was inhumanly strong and more beautiful than any person Seung-gil had ever seen. The tan skin and bright eyes were topped with a mess of brown hair and a worried smile that seemed to be specifically meant for Seung-gil. He went to speak, when the feeling of scales brushed against his bare feet. Jumping, Seung-gil tried to look into the water. “What was that?” There were a million other questions he should have been asking, but identifying whatever was lurking beneath him seemed like the most pressing.

Confused, Phichit tilted his head. “What’s what?” Curving his back, he flicked his tail to guide them toward the rocks. Water splashed behind him as Phichit brought Seung-gil within reaching distance of the rocks.

“THAT!” Seung-gil pointed, leaping from Phichit’s arms to scramble onto the rock. Pulling his knees to his chest, Seung-gil rocked back and forth, chilly from the ocean water and trying to calm the tornado of questions forming in his mind.

“This?” Phichit asked, leaning back to bring his tail out of the water. “That’s my tail, silly.” Giggling with the absurdity of the question, Phichit changed direction and pulled himself onto a rock. “How else would I swim?”

“I… what?” Slowly turning, Seung-gil took in the sight of Phichit. Strong upper body muscles, well-defined and bare, lead to what was obviously a tail. The scales were a beautiful green, catching the sunlight the same way the paired shells did, and Seung-gil found himself swallowing hard. “You’re a… but no… I… not… You are…” Seung-gil’s words were a jumble in his brain and toppling out of his mouth in random unintelligent order.

“I am…?” Worry set into Phichit’s chest as he studied the human’s face. The first time Victor had seen Yuuri, he had fawned over him, throwing compliments and instant affection in Yuuri’s direction. This human looked confused and Phichit felt his heart sink.

“You’re beautiful,” Seung-gil said, startling and staring at Phichit with panic settling in on his face. It was the first coherent thought he had formed, and Seung-gil was at a loss as to why he decided to let it out into the world. “I’m Seung-gil,” he said, avoiding eye contact with the creature sitting next to him. Maybe if he knew the creature’s name it wouldn’t feel so weird. Glancing up, he was again startled by the unmistakable beauty of the smile being aimed in his direction.

“You think I’m beautiful?” Unable to resist the urge, Phichit scooted over the rocks to bring himself closer to the human called Seung-gil. It was an odd name and Phichit had to keep himself from giggling because he didn’t want to scare Seung-gil away. Now that he was this close, he didn’t want to let Seung-gil go. “I’m Phichit,” he spoke happily, continuing to move closer in little wiggles. “Do you live here now? Did you like my presents? Is that your dog? Are you going to stay forever?”

The questions were asked so quickly, Seung-gil could feel his head spin. He had barely wrapped his head around the idea that maybe all of the storybooks stacked in the island house were real stories of mermaids and selkies, and now one of these mythical creatures was asking him personal questions. He felt light-headed and slightly ill, so he laid back on the rock trying to wrap his head around the last few minutes of his life.

Breathing through his nose and out through his mouth, Seung-gil slowly opened his eyes. Phichit was hovering above his head, haloed in sunlight and still grinning that breath-taking grin. Seung-gil was convinced that he had actually drowned and this was a bizarre version of heaven. Struggling with the concept of reality, Seung-gil reached a cautious hand up to touch Phichit’s cheek.

Seung-gil’s hand was soft against the skin of Phichit’s face and he sighed into the touch letting his cheek be cradled against Seung-gil’s palm. Even with the hesitant touch, Phichit felt the warmth spread through him, making him hum in happiness as he reached down to push the hair from Seung-gil’s face. Looking down, Phichit again cocked his head, “are you going to answer my questions? Also, can you swim? You almost died back there. That would have been sad.”

The sincerity in Phichit’s statement made Seung-gil laugh. Everything happening was completely absurd and impossible, but Seung-gil didn’t care. His mind had cleared of the invasive fog and his heart was thudding in his chest, making him feel alive in a way he couldn’t remember feeling. “If someone hadn’t scared me, maybe I wouldn’t have fallen in the water.” Seung-gil heard the flirty tone in his own voice and decided to go with it. Maybe he was dead, maybe he was having some weird hallucination as he sank to the bottom of the ocean, or maybe this was real. No matter what was true, he wanted to cling to the feeling inside of him, brought on by the stunning smile and game of twenty questions with this mysterious non-human stranger.

Phichit pouted, pulling away from Seung-gil and crossing his arms over his chest. “I only wanted to say hi. And then you were drawing something and it was really pretty, so I got distracted!” Bottom lip poked out, Phichit watched as Seung-gil sat up and retrieved the pad of paper along with the shells.

The bottom corner of his pad was dented from its fall against a rock, but his sketch was intact and dry. Seung-gil settled back on his rock, lifting the pad of sketch paper for Phichit to see. “You think this is pretty?” The disdain for his own work leaked into Seung-gil’s every word as he watched Phichit nod. “Why?” The question was self-deprecating but Seung-gil couldn’t stop himself from asking it. Maybe if he was hallucinating, his subconscious would reveal something interesting.

“You gave the shells a personality,” Phichit remarked, dropping his pout and taking the opportunity to move closer again. He watched Seung-gil’s face to see if he would flinch when Phichit’s tail touched him, happily surprised when Seung-gil only smiled. Taking that as a sign to continue, Phichit leaned over the pad, letting his shoulder press against Seung-gil’s. “See, you didn’t only draw shells. There aren’t colors here, but I can tell that this one is the purple one and that one is the blue one. You used these lines,” Phichit traced the curved lines of the drawn shell without touching the paper, “to show how the shell curves. It makes the shell less of a shell and more of a thing of beauty. I knew you would like this one.” Looking up, Phichit smiled trying to focus when he realized how close they were sitting. From the mere inches apart, Phichit could see the little flecks of green in Seung-gil’s eyes and the sadness that still lingered.

“I…” Seung-gil was at a loss for words. He was positive that no one else would understand Phichit’s opinion, but Seung-gil knew exactly what he meant. Studying the varying brown flecks in Phichit’s eyes, Seung-gil felt a spark light inside of him, a light that had extinguished before he had fled to the sanctuary of the island. “Can I draw you?”

“Me?” Phichit jumped back, giggling with a hand over his mouth. “Why would you want to draw me?” He wanted to say yes so badly, and felt the giddiness gathering inside of him until it burst forth in more giggles.

“I don’t know,” Seung-gil furrowed his brow, shaking his head slightly, “but I haven’t wanted to draw this much in a long time. Would it be ok?” Anxious, Seung-gil chewed on the end of his pencil glancing up from under his bangs to peer at Phichit. The blush on Phichit’s cheeks as he laughed and the adorable way his eyes sparkled with humor made Seung-gil feel a wave of emotions at once. All of those feelings had been buried under the dulled veil of numbness and Seung-gil felt slightly breathless as he returned to the world of emotions. Tears prickled the corners of his eyes as he waited for Phichit’s answer.

“Don’t cry!” Suddenly worried, Phichit threw himself forward, placing both of his hands on Seung-gil’s cheeks. He hadn’t touched another being since Yuuri had left and he quickly dropped his hands again, realizing that Seung-gil was still a stranger to him. Watching someone and leaving presents for two weeks didn’t exactly mean that they knew each other. Still, Phichit didn’t want to be the reason that Seung-gil was upset. “Please! You can draw me, but please don’t cry!”

Confused, Seung-gil wiped a hand over his face, feeling the lingering sensation of Phichit’s fingers on his cheeks. Phichit’s hands were cold, but the touch was gentle, and Seung-gil found himself wishing that Phichit hadn’t let him go. Wanting to remove the worried expression from Phichit’s face, Seung-gil smiled, reaching out to squeeze Phichit’s fingers. “They aren’t sad tears. I haven’t been… inspired lately and suddenly… that feels like it’s changing.” Blushing, Seung-gil looked away, admiring the calm waves breaking below their feet.

“Happy tears??” Phichit asked, again sliding forward, leaning so that his face was in front of Seung-gil. The idea that Seung-gil could be crying happy tears for him, like Victor had done for Yuuri, made Phichit’s mind fill with thoughts of the future. He watched Seung-gil nod, smiling brighter when Seung-gil finally made eye contact again. Satisfied, Phichit sat back against the rock, throwing his arms out to his sides. “Draw away!” he sang, flipping his tail happily at the edge of the water. “Can we talk while you work?” Phichit smiled as Seung-gil sat cross-legged, twisting to face Phichit with this sketch pad braced on his knees. Up close, Seung-gil was even more handsome than Phichit had realized and he let his eyes wander over Seung-gil’s body as he waited for his answer.

“Of course,” Seung-gil glanced up, letting his eyes linger on Phichit’s as his thoughts whirled through his head. “I want to know everything there is to know about you.” Hearing the truth in his own words, Seung-gil paused. He didn’t connect well with other people, his family had been lecturing him on this deficiency his whole life, but somehow all of his carefully crafted defense mechanisms had vanished. It seemed unnatural and weird, and Seung-gil stopped to contemplate. Scratching his head, Seung-gil pondered out loud, “I’m not dead, right? This isn’t some freaky dream about mermaids while I am drowning, right?” Saying it out loud made him laugh nervously, glancing around as if acknowledging the dream would make reality suddenly crash down on his shoulders.

“You aren’t dead and I am a merMAN thank you very much!” Phichit used his tail to flick water at Seung-gil, laughing when Seung-gil fell backwards trying to dodge the splash. “Why would you think you are dead? Can you even think when you are dead?” Placing a finger against his lips, Phichit raised an eyebrow at Seung-gil. “I can teach you how to swim so you don’t end up dead, if you would like?”

The never-ending stream of perky questions would have annoyed Seung-gil coming from anyone else. From Phichit though, the questions were adorable and thoughtful. Shrugging a shoulder, Seung-gil began to draw again, concentrating first on Phichit’s face. “I can’t swim. I might drown us both if you try to teach me.” He looked up in confusion when Phichit burst into laughter.

“Are you really bad enough that you could drown a merman?” Phichit doubled over with laughter, tail flicking again and sending sea water droplets into the air. Seung-gil was so adorably clueless, Phichit already wanted to keep him forever.

Sheepishly, Seung-gil shrugged again, “maybe?” he laughed when Phichit laughed harder, internally acknowledging that he had no idea how long it had been since he laughed. “Alright, hold still, or your picture will come out all wonky.” He let himself giggle when Phichit repeated the word “wonky” with a breathless giggle of his own. Shaking his head, Seung-gil focused on his paper, letting Phichit’s giggles and questions flow over him as he worked.

* * *

 

Hours had passed since Phichit had first scared Seung-gil to his potential death. Seung-gil had filled several pages with sketches, everything from sketches of Phichit to random sketches that Phichit had requested. Seung-gil’s hand and forearm were aching with fatigue, but his heart felt light and happy.

Every moment of their time together had been filled with questions and answers, a constant flow of conversation which was bringing them closer with every breath. Seung-gil had talked to Phichit about the horrors of growing up as the outcast in his family, and Phichit had explained about how he had set out to explore with his best friend, only to have Yuuri leave him behind to be with Yuuri’s true love. Seung-gil had noticed the mixture of longing and happiness in Phichit’s story, nodding along and wondering how anyone could want to leave Phichit. He had known the merman less than a day, and already Seung-gil knew that he couldn’t imagine life without him.

“The sun is beginning to set,” Phichit observed, shifting to study Seung-gil’s face. “I guess you’ll have to leave me soon.” The thought made Phichit feel a heavy sinking in his stomach as he dropped his head to examine his hands. For the first time since Yuuri left, Phichit hadn’t felt lonely and he knew the feeling would come back as soon as Seung-gil walked away. Swallowing back the sadness that thought brought him, Phichit tried to hide it as he lifted his head again. Shifting his tail to be closer to Seung-gil’s knees, Phichit hummed when Seung-gil touched his cheek.

“There are story books at the house,” Seung-gil began, running his thumb over Phichit’s cheek. In one day Phichit had already become so important to him, and Seung-gil was powerless to argue the rationality of that. Somehow they fit together, and a single thought had been burning in the back of Seung-gil’s mind for latter part of the afternoon. “I… these books… they talk about sunset and…” Seung-gil let the words trail off, his fear getting the best of him as he continued to stroke Phichit’s cheek.

“Victor probably wrote those stories,” Phichit stalled, pulling his bottom lip to bite it with his teeth. He knew all about sunset and what Victor would have written about it; he had foolishly contemplated the possibility since the moment he had left his first gift. Still, fate had a funny way of intervening in life, especially when it came to love, and Phichit was a firm believer in fairytales. “Do you… did you read them?” Phichit wanted to ask if Seung-gil believed in Victor’s stories, since Phichit had undeniable proof as to the validity of the tales, but he had used up all of his courage for the day.

Glancing over Phichit’s shoulder, Seung-gil watched as the sun began to lower toward the horizon. Returning his gaze to Phichit’s, Seung-gil studied the brown eyes peering hopefully into his own. “Is it silly? Does it matter if it is silly?” The questions were whispered, intended to be rhetorical as Seung-gil contemplated the possible power of true love’s kiss. The stories said that once on this very same island a merman and a human man had fallen in love, and when they kissed at the exact moment that the sun burned colors over the world, they had been given a way to stay together forever. It had been less than a day’s worth of hours since Seung-gil had first found himself in Phichit’s arms, but he wanted the possibility for himself. He wanted to know if he could stay with Phichit forever, and continue to feel life the way it felt when Phichit was near him. Searching Phichit’s eyes, Seung-gil saw the slight nod of Phichit’s head. Taking a deep breath he leaned in.

As their lips pressed together, the world exploded in the colors of the setting sun.

[ ](https://magical-mistral.tumblr.com/image/166627142104)

_(this art is everything I could have ever dreamed of and more. I am so happy to share this with everyone!! Please go give Mistral some love!!)_


	2. Our Own Kind of Fairy Tale

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The long-awaited second chapter of this story!! Not everything is magic, not all hope is lost. 
> 
> The amazing art for this chapter will be up on [Magical-Mistal's blog](https://magical-mistral.tumblr.com) as soon as she is awake, but I wanted to post this now so it would greet her as a welcome to her 2018.   
> SCREAM WITH ME ABOUT THIS ART:   
> [Seung-gil carrying Phichit](https://78.media.tumblr.com/9290135967cc316b946582a0ca8031f7/tumblr_p1v3z0epZH1ropfdeo1_540.jpg)  
> [Phichit and his bubbles](https://78.media.tumblr.com/2ae7ae8a71b7a651f5f3fdef81e65c5f/tumblr_p1v43k9wLJ1ropfdeo1_540.jpg)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year to my fluffbutt. [Magical-Mistal](https://magical-mistral.tumblr.com) has been one of the most magical parts of my 2017. Inspiration, support, and friendship, I have found it all with you. In the darkness, I found your fluff, and I would live this whole year over if it meant finding you. Here's to 2018.

Phichit was tingling from the tips of his ears to the points of his tail. He had never been kissed, except by a weirdly frisky fish, and kissing Seung-gil was nothing like Yuuri described kissing a human to be. His heart hammered in his chest, his breath felt shallow and weak, and his cheek felt impossibly warm where Seung-gil’s fingers were still lingering. Unlike the fish, Seung-gil’s lips were warm and slightly dry from their elongated time spent next to the sea water. Also unlike the fish, Phichit had absolutely no desire to stop kissing Seung-gil any time soon, and reached up to grab the front of Seung-gil’s shirt to keep him close.

Sensation was flowing through every part of Seung-gil’s mind and erasing every rational thought. He had kissed half a handful of other people, but nothing could have prepared him for kissing the perky merman. Phichit’s skin was unbelievably cold under his fingertips, and Seung-gil took a sharp intake of breath as Phichit grabbed his shirt, pressing cold knuckles against Seung-gil’s sternum. It was a shock to his system, but Seung-gil found himself settling into the sensation, continuing to kiss Phichit until the breathlessness ached in his lungs. Regretfully, he pulled away, lacing his hand around the back of Phichit’s neck to hold their foreheads together.

“Wow…” was all Phichit could add, tightening his hold on Seung-gil’s shirt. “I… wow…” giggling in spite of his speechlessness, Phichit blushed when Seung-gil placed a smiling kiss to his nose.

The world was dark again. Only that morning, Seung-gil had woken in the dark, lost and alone with the exception of his dog. As night fell around them, the moon rising out of the water and reflecting off of Phichit’s gleaming scales, Seung-gil knew the world had taken on a more peaceful darkness.

 _Scales._ Glancing down, Seung-gil studied the scales still covering Phichit’s lower half and the jeans still covering his own legs. They were still in their own forms, neither of them experiencing the magical change that had been described in the book of beautiful lies in his rental house. Sighing, Seung-gil let the disappointment drape over him as he dropped his hand from Phichit’s neck. “I guess…” Seung-gil drifted off. Even though it had only been one day, Phichit had already stolen his entire heart. But magic worked in absolutes and Seung-gil felt the sorrow of that land in his stomach.

“I guess,” Phichit said, lacing his fingers through Seung-gil’s, “we will have to make our own fairy tale.” Nervously chuckling, Phichit flicked his tail on the surface of the water. “Get it? Tail…” he flicked his fins again and giggled when Seung-gil chuckled beside him.

An idea, perhaps a poor one, popped into Seung-gil’s mind causing him to glance over his shoulder at the house. It wasn’t far from the line of the beach, and Phichit didn’t seem overly heavy, so the possibility of carrying him and letting him splash in the large claw tub began to grow like a desperate need in Seung-gil’s chest. Taking a deep breath, he looked back to Phichit. “Do you think…” he trailed off when Phichit’s smile brought his attention back to Phichit’s lips. Shaking his head, Seung-gil tried to focus. “Do you think you would be comfortable with me carrying you? There is a tub in the house, and I could make dinner… I mean if you eat… you eat right?” Wincing with his own stupidity, Seung-gil smacked an open palm to his forehead.

Giggling again, Phichit leaned forward to kiss Seung-gil’s cheek. He had seen Victor carrying Yuuri back and forth from the beach, and the idea of finally seeing inside of the house at the edge of the woods excited him. It was also making him feel a little hysterical with excitement, and he continued to giggle even as Seung-gil became a blushing mess all the way to his ears. “I like fish. And seaweed. I haven’t tried anything else…” Phichit suddenly remembered something, “Oh! Except… I like cookies! Sometimes Yuuri and Victor would bring me some, they had chocolate in them. I like chocolate.” Phichit nodded his head excitedly as Seung-gil finally looked at him.

“You’re killing me,” he teased, watching Phichit’s face fall. “No! No! In a good way. I mean… you’re so cute… how is it possible that you are so cute?” The blush on Seung-gil’s cheeks darkened as he rambled. He knew he shouldn’t be saying these things out loud, but he couldn’t help himself, everything about Phichit made him feel more open and relaxed. “So… is that a yes? Are you up for it?” When Phichit nodded again, scooting forward to throw his arms around Seung-gil’s shoulders, he could feel his breathing stutter as the anticipation crashed over him in a wave. “Alright, meet me at the beach, okay? I can carry you from there.”

“Happily!” Phichit leaned back, keeping his arms wrapped lightly around Seung-gil’s shoulder, “but that’s a far swim, I am going to need some kind of motivation.” Raising an eyebrow at Seung-gil, Phichit fluttered his eyelashes and puckered his lips.

Seung-gil’s smile was instantaneous and he leaned in to capture Phichit’s lips again. Being distracted by getting lost in the feeling of Phichit was rapidly becoming Seung-gil’s favorite problem. Letting himself linger in the contact for a little longer, Seung-gil finally pulled back and smiled at Phichit’s pout. “Meet me there?” he asked again, nodding over his shoulder.

“I’ll meet you anywhere! Race you!” Phichit winked, dropping into the water without a splash. When he resurfaced he was already halfway to the beach and Seung-gil scrambled to his feet to attempt a very dangerous sprint across the rocks.

Behind him, on the flattest part of the rock where Phichit always left his gifts, were the two shells. One purple, one blue, both glowing with a mysterious light that hadn’t been there before sunset.

* * *

 

Forcing himself to take a deep breath, Seung-gil shifted Phichit in his arms, concentrating on keeping Phichit safely cradled as they made their way toward the house. The scales of Phichit’s tail were smooth under his palm and Seung-gil couldn’t resist making small circles with his fingertips. When Phichit’s giggles made him wiggle against Seung-gil’s chest, Seung-gil was convinced his was going to faint. Physical contact had never been at the top of his favorite things, but contact with Phichit had easily taken the first place spot on his short favorites list. Shivering as the cold of Phichit’s skin pressed closer, Seung-gil forced his mind to focus on his careful navigation of the path in front of him.

“Don’t drop me!” Phichit giggled nervously, tightening his hold on Seung-gil’s shoulders. For a brief moment he imagined himself flopping on the ground like a fish out of water and shuddered with the thought. Hugging Seung-gil tighter, Phichit attempted to use his own muscles to lessen the burden on Seung-gil’s arms.

“I’ve got you,” Seung-gil took an exaggerated step over an exposed tree root, “I promise, I won’t let you fall.” The irony of his statement made Seung-gil’s head feel light. He certainly wouldn’t let Phichit fall from his arms, but he couldn’t stop his heart from praying that Phichit would fall for him. It was a silly notion, especially after the failed experiment with the fated sunset, but Seung-gil couldn’t shake the hope still fluttering in his stomach.

Their movements to the house were uncoordinated and clumsy, hampered by Sasha’s excited leaps to nip at Phichit’s tail. Phichit was unafraid of her furry enthusiasm and chattered away to Sasha as they made their way to the front door of the house. “It’s big,” Phichit exhaled, looking up to examine the two story house. “Are all houses this big?” Placing a palm against the door, Phichit tried to push it open, frowning when it wouldn’t budge.

“Actually…” Seung-gil caught himself before he corrected Phichit. His own home, left behind in the care of a long-time friend who needed a place to stay, could’ve easily fit several of the small island houses inside of its walls. The space had become overwhelming and oppressive in a way that Seung-gil didn’t want to explain, leaving him floundering in his thoughts. Seeing Phichit shove against the door, he was relieved to have an excuse to redirect his statement. “There’s a door knob. Down lower, you have to turn it.” Nodding to the gold knob at waist level, Seung-gil confirmed with a second nod when Phichit’s fingers wrapped around the sphere.

There was a deadbolt that Seung-gil had stopped using on the first day, leaving the door open to his comings and goings. The island was deserted beyond his presence, a fact that had brought him a sense of peace. Until Phichit had popped into his world, making Seung-gil realize he wasn’t avoiding people, he was avoiding the wrong kind of people.

Grasping the cool ball tightly, Phichit twisted his wrist, gasping when the door swung open. He had heard Yuuri talk about the spectacular nature of this house, but it was different experiencing it through his own eyes. There were objects arranged in difference spaces and a variety of colors highlighting each room. Phichit recognized the bindings of the books Victor would bring to the beach and sighed when he spotted a picture of Yuuri and Victor dressed in white tuxes. They had been married in the spring on a ship anchored in the sea, allowing Phichit and Yuuri’s family to watch the beauty of the ceremony unfold without being able to participate. Fingers trailing over the edges of the picture as they passed its place on the wall, Phichit let the memories of the happiest and saddest day of his life flow through him.

Trying to ignore the ache in his arms, Seung-gil took the last few steps into the weirdly large master bathroom. This room, above all others, had struck him as out of place when he had first arrived at his temporary residence. It was attached only to the master bedroom and was adorned with a shower, two sinks, a separated commode area, and the largest tub Seung-gil had ever seen positioned in the middle of the room. It wasn’t until the moment that he lowered Phichit into the tub that Seung-gil realized its purpose.

“This is the tub Victor bought for Yuuri,” Phichit commented, running his hands over the smooth sides. The porcelain gleamed bright white in the lights of the bathroom, while the gold rim appeared to sparkle. It was wide enough that Phichit could tuck his tail completely into the basin, or flop it over the side and lean back against the perfectly curved edges. Yuuri had spoken wondrous tales about this tub and Phichit sat up excitedly to grab Seung-gil’s hand. “Do you have bubbles? I want to play with bubbles!” He didn’t expect Seung-gil to kiss him, squeaking at the unexpected affection before settling his hand at the back of Seung-gil’s neck. If the shaky trip to the house resulted in spontaneous kisses and bubble baths, Phichit was certain he was never going to ask to be carried back to the sea. “What was that for?” he asked, his smile suddenly shy as Seung-gil stepped away from the edge of the tub.

Shaking his head, Seung-gil dropped to his knees to examine the cabinets under the sinks. “I don’t know,” he shrugged, half buried in his hunt for bubbles. “I have never wanted to kiss anyone as badly as I want to kiss you. Is that a bad thing?” He knew his voice was muffled in the organized chaos that were the available products under the sink and he was exceptionally glad that Phichit couldn’t see how dark his cheeks were burning.

In the tub, Phichit resisted the urge to clap out of silly happiness. “Not a bad thing, and I feel the same way. All the kisses, all the time,” he called happily, his eyes trailing over Seung-gil’s backside sticking out from the cabinet. Yuuri had talked about other activities he had partaken in with Victor once he had transformed, and Phichit’s imagination began to spin as he watched Seung-gil’s lower half muscles flex with effort. If only the magic had worked, Phichit mourned, letting out a huff of breath and feeling his hair flutter over his forehead.

He wanted to believe that magic was still in their future. This possibility was whirling in his mind as Seung-gil sat back to triumphantly wave a bottle of pink liquid. Leaning dangerously over the tub, Phichit snatched the bottle, tearing the top of it off and dumping it directly on his tail.

The pink goo seeped over Phichit’s brilliant scales as Seung-gil scrambled to the side of the tub. Phichit looked horrified, poking at the thick liquid and lifting his fingers to smell the foreign substance. Seung-gil snagged his wrist before Phichit could press his fingers to his tongue, chuckling as he used the other hand to turn on the faucet. Opting for cold water, Seung-gil watched as it ran from the faucet to cascade over Phichit’s tail, creating spirals of beautiful green and obnoxious pink. Slowly the water level began to rise and the bubbles built their fluffy mass around Phichit’s body. Fascinated by the unique sparkle of Phichit’s tail under the water, Seung-gil attempted to commit the image to memory. He wanted to find a way to capture it in paint, but chose to live in the moment, listening to Phichit’s surprised and cheerful sounds as he lifted handfuls of bubbles to his face.

These bubbles were nothing like the bubbles Phichit played with in the sea. They were slippery and smelled sweet as he lifted them to blow them into the air. The pink balls of delight clung to Phichit’s hair and eyelashes, making him giggle whenever he brought his handfuls too close. He forgot for a moment that Seung-gil was in the room, absorbed in his own fun, until an alarming noise rumbled from inside of Seung-gil’s body. Cautiously returning his attention to Seung-gil, Phichit cocked his head at Seung-gil’s embarrassed flush.

“Hungry,” Seung-gil grumbled, standing from his place on the floor to motion toward the door. “I’m going to make some dinner. Will you eat with me if I bring it in here? A bathroom picnic?” He tried to dampen the plea in his question, feeling self-conscious about his barely tempered nervousness.

“Of course!” Phichit answered, blowing bubbles in Seung-gil’s direction, “I will try whatever you bring.” Happily, Phichit began to hum, using bubbles to decorate his own chest and tail, completely missing Seung-gil’s exit from the bathroom.

Alone in the kitchen Seung-gil began to pull ingredients from the small fridge to create a dinner of fish and rice. Briefly he had contemplated rolling sushi, giving up the idea when he realized that it would limit his time with Phichit. He hadn’t asked how long merman could safely stay out of the water, and the thought began to worry at his mind as he placed the fish across the grate of the indoor grill. He would keep dinner simple, letting Phichit taste his version of cooking without any fancy bells and whistles, and hope that it wouldn’t disappoint Phichit.

Somewhere between carefully measuring the rice into his rice cooker and flipping the grilling fish, Seung-gil’s rational mind caught up to him. There was a merman splashing in his bathtub, a merman who he had been kissing repeatedly since sunset, and Seung-gil knew absolutely nothing about mermen beyond the stories in the fairy tale books stacked on the closest bookshelves. If his parents knew of his current thoughts, the canvases depicting romance being painted in his mind, they would again set him as the outcast. They had tried to destroy all that was creative and fanciful inside of him, and Seung-gil could feel the poison of their past words infecting his mind. Even from a distance they were influencing him, making him doubt all of the magic around him and within him.

Feeling the nerves creeping up his spine, Seung-gil shut his eyes, willing away his doubts and disbelief. For once, he wanted to blindly believe and forego his need for reason and purpose. This was his chance to live a story beyond his own mundane existence and he wasn’t going to let the drab and dismissive voices in his head convince him otherwise. Shaking his head with determination, Seung-gil set back to work on their meal, pulling down plates and retrieving the wooden tray from the top of the fridge. He remembered wondering about the abnormally long tray that he had discovered during his initial exploration of the house. Smiling as he placed the plates and glasses into what appeared to be customized grooves, he thought he knew exactly why this tray existed. Pausing only to retrieve a book from the shelf, Seung-gil moved carefully down the hallway to return to Phichit’s side.

The happy noises carrying from the bathroom almost made Seung-gil fumble the tray. Hesitating at the open door, Seung-gil smiled seeing Sasha with her chin resting on the side of the tub as Phichit gently stroked her head. His dog tended to be as finicky about people as Seung-gil was and he couldn’t help the squeeze in his chest as he observed her comfort with Phichit. Not only was Sasha seeking the attention, she was relishing in it, her eyes closed and tail lazily wagging on the floor. Seung-gil couldn’t avoid his chuckle upon seeing Phichit’s tail flicking in a matching rhythm to his dog’s, and smiled sheepishly as Phichit caught him staring.

“I think she likes me,” Phichit boasted, continuing to run his fingers through the soft hair on the dog’s head. Even though her tongue was rough and her breath was awful, Phichit found her spirit to be soothing and relaxation to be an unexpected side effect of petting her head. Where Victor’s dog had been as excitable as her owner, Seung-gil’s dog seemed as quiet and reserved as her own. Phichit had acknowledged to himself without an ounce of hesitation that he was falling for Seung-gil’s dog as fast as he was falling for Seung-gil. He imagined them as an interspecies family, happily residing on the island together for the rest of their days. The specifics were hard to wrap his head around, but Phichit figured together they could sort it out.

Moving into the room, Seung-gil gently nudged Sasha from her place at the edge of the tub, quietly apologizing to his misplaced dog as she turned to glare at him before settling on the bathmat. Rolling his eyes at her dramatics, Seung-gil bent over the tub, happy to see his suspicions confirmed as the tray easily hooked onto either side of the curved porcelain basin. It was obvious to Seung-gil that Victor had spent a remarkable amount of money making his home mermaid friendly, and Seung-gil made a mental note to send him a thank you card.

“And this is?” Phichit poked the piece of grilled fish as he eyed the glass in front of him. The liquid was a color he had never seen before, and he dipped a finger into the glass lifting it to lick the droplet. Gagging, Phichit pinched his face, scratching at his tongue. “Are you trying to poison me?” he screeched, scooting back as far as possible in the tub.

With rapt fascination, Seung-gil had watched Phichit stick a long finger in his wine glass. He had purposely not poured alcohol for Phichit, filling one glass with cold chocolate milk and the other with a dry red wine. Phichit’s declaration of loving chocolate had prompted the idea of flavored milk and Seung-gil reached forward, gingerly wrapping his fingers around the glass. Shaking his head vigorously at Phichit, Seung-gil tried to offer him the glass of milk, feeling a sinking disappointment when Phichit continued to recoil. “This is sweet. I made it for you. It has chocolate in it,” Seung-gil hesitated waiting for Phichit to relax, “that other one is wine. Alcohol. I wouldn’t give that to you.”

Cautiously, Phichit took the glass being offered to him. Curling both hands around it, he sniffed over the glass lip and was immediately greeted with the smell of chocolate. Excitedly, he placed the glass against his lips and experimentally licked at the liquid. As promised it was sweet and felt cool against his tongue. Eyes lifting from his glass, Phichit saw Seung-gil taking an amused sip of the hell liquid and tipped his own up to copy the action. Liquid dribbled down his chin as Phichit tried to drink the whole glass at once, his cheeks flushing as Seung-gil began to laugh. “This one is good,” Phichit stated simply, rubbing his chin against the bare skin of his shoulder before replacing the glass in its groove.

“Chocolate milk,” Seung-gil identified, placing his own glass on the tile floor. “This is fish, swordfish to be exact. And this is rice. I put some vegetables on your plate as well, but not everyone likes those.” Carefully, Seung-gil lifted his own plate from the tray, sitting back onto the folding chair which was a convenient fixture in the bathroom. Where its existence had previously confused Seung-gil, he was now distinctly aware of its purpose. Tomorrow, he would have to make the time to call Victor and see what other wonders were stored in this mystery house of his.

“A little… slimy…” Phichit remarked, pinching a piece of red pepper between his fingers. Flicking his tongue out, he tasted the squirmy vegetable. His face lit up as he stuffed the entire piece in his mouth. “It’s yummy though!” he squealed, plucking up another piece and shoving it in his mouth. Using his fingers, Phichit continued to pick through his meal, animatedly complimenting each bite as he chewed with his mouth open.

Wine glass empty and the sound of Phichit’s voice overpowering the voices screaming in his head, Seung-gil finally felt himself beginning to relax again. His dinner disappeared in quicker fashion than Phichit’s did and Seung-gil slid his empty plate onto the sink counter, replacing it on his lap with a book. Quietly, he ran his fingers over the cover. Certain colors had been purposely raised, creating a texture to the sunset over the water. A single empty boat rocked in the motion of the waves, illuminated with the sinking sun and looking trapped between hope and despair. Understanding the feeling more than ever, Seung-gil sighed, moving his hand to open the cover.

“I recognize that,” Phichit chirped, tail disappearing into the tub as he leaned forward. There was rice stuck to his cheek and a bit of sautéed pepper hanging from his chin making Seung-gil feel the rush of adoration for every ounce of adorable mess on Phichit’s face. With a flick of his thumb, Seung-gil knocked the remnants of Phichit’s dinner back onto his plate. “Thanks.” The appreciative response had a hint of embarrassment to it, but Phichit turned his head and kissed Seung-gil’s palm as a means of hiding it. He wasn’t used to gentle caresses and his heart felt rapid and erratic in his chest. Hand fluttering, Phichit tapped the front of the book in Seung-gil’s lap. “This is Victor’s book. I recognize the cover. I like the cover more than I liked the book.”

 The breath hitched at the back of Seung-gil’s throat. “Why…” he cleared his throat and started again, “why do you say that?” A lump was forming in his throat, causing Seung-gil to wonder if he was ready for the answer.

“Victor is a lovely story teller,” Phichit sat back into the tub, head falling back to rest on the side. “He read me and Yuuri the book, although… spoiler… both Yuuri and I can read in multiple languages,” giggling with his own secret, Phichit continued to stare at the ceiling. “Victor made it sound like their love story was easy. He skipped the part where it took Yuuri almost a year to dump Victor out of his boat and it took almost four months for them to kiss. There was a lot of blushing and swimming and feeding, but no kissing. Yuuri’s transformation was almost by accident and nearly drowned them both. He left out a lot of the stuff that made it real.”

Smirking, Seung-gil skimmed the pages of the book remembering what it felt like to read it the first time. Magic and fairy tales, both so beautiful in Victor’s words that Seung-gil had wanted them to be true. In fact, finding out that the tale was true and that the Yuuri he had known only as a human was actually a merman in origin, had made it even more spectacular in Seung-gil’s mind. Knowing that it wasn’t the complete truth didn’t bother him either and he expressed this to Phichit. “Maybe Victor wanted to keep some of the story for himself. It’s beautiful the way he wrote it and it gives the reader hope. Maybe it isn’t exactly accurate, but it is the story Victor needed to tell.” Not looking up, Seung-gil missed the beautifully gentle smile Phichit was aiming in his direction.

“Ok,” Phichit conceded, “I will give you that. But I think a story should be true. There is inspiration in the imperfect as well.” The water sloshed as Phichit shifted again, tapping his finger back on the front of the book. “That’s why I like this cover. Victor… you… you both seemed to have come to this island while trapped. Victor was a writer who had fallen into the need to produce the next hit, to keep his fan base happy no matter what it did to his soul. You seem caught in a different way, one I haven’t pieced together yet. This cover speaks of that, even if Victor’s story leaves part of it out.”

A single tear rolled off of Seung-gil’s cheek, splashing onto the painted water of Victor’s book. Trapped. Caught. Those were words that he had never thought to use to describe his reasons for escaping to this place and yet somehow they felt perfect. Phichit’s hand moved to lace their fingers together, and Seung-gil kept his face angled toward the ground. The small tiles were in intricate patterns on the floor and he found himself tracing their lines as his mind buzzed angrily. “I created this,” Seung-gil spoke barely above a whisper, as if his agent or his parents were going to spring from the walls to admonish him for it. There was no credit given to the cover artist on the book, which had been Seung-gil’s one request when he had agreed to the project.

“Why does that make you cry?” Confused, Phichit stretched over the lip of the tub to squeeze Seung-gil’s hand tighter. He remembered the first time he saw the book, the swirl of colors making it look like the sunset had been plucked from the sky and captured in the embossed paper. Victor had read to them for hours, Phichit letting the words spill over him as he lost himself in the picture of the lone boat floating at sunset.

Tears, warm and plenty, fell from Seung-gil’s eyes as he tried to put his thoughts together. Painting this cover had been one of the proudest moments of his painting career and it was striking him how foolish he had been to refuse credit. All of the abstract, popular art he created felt empty compared to his simple sunset and wooden boat, leaving Seung-gil questioning his own worth. He was told he was a genius, his work held as the biggest happening in the art community in decades, and yet none of his most famous pieces gave him any of the emotion that this one cover had. Trapped. Caught. He heard the words in his mind circle through his mind as he raised Phichit’s hand to kiss his knuckles. “I didn’t take credit for this.” Ignoring Phichit’s shocked little noise, Seung-gil forced himself to continue. “Back home… well and beyond that really… I am supposedly famous for my art. My agent told me that this book cover was too different, that my fans would hate it and not to do it. And at a time when I was still valuing fame more than my own self-worth, I listened.  But Victor kept pushing, and I swear that man could convince the pope to moon Jesus himself.” Chuckling with his own joke, Seung-gil wiped the back of his hand over his cheek. “So I agreed to do it. But in creating this,” he skimmed his fingers over the lines of the sunset, “I felt my heart break. It made me look at everything I had ever created from the moment I was told I was famous… and I hated it.”

Caring about someone else had never been a problem for Phichit. He could easily sympathize with others, from the grumpiest whale to Yuuri during his most sullen pouting sessions. Though in all his years of listening to the sorrows of others, his heart hadn’t prepared him for hearing Seung-gil so broken. Silently he gripped Seung-gil’s hand, unable to find words to express his support. Phichit had always been the story teller between himself and Yuuri, and now when he needed words the most, they were failing him.

“I came here because I didn’t know who I was anymore,” Seung-gil chanced a glance at Phichit, feeling the tears well up again at the gentle rub of Phichit’s cold thumb over the back of his hand. “Fame is so fickle. The right person decides that you are worthy of it, and the next thing you know…. The whole world is chanting your name and placing expectations on your shoulders. For a while I didn’t question it. I took it as if I deserved it. But then…” A memory, sour and bitter, made Seung-gil’s mouth dry. “An artist, young and full of talent, was crushed by my agent. This young man had more potential, more drive than I have ever had. One person told him it wasn’t good enough and I watched the light extinguish in his eyes before the sentence was complete.” Pushing the book onto the ground, Seung-gil sank to his knees, letting the tears continue to heave from him as Phichit pulled him to lean against his shoulder. The cool of Phichit’s skin sent a shiver down Seung-gil’s spine, his breath hitching with his ragged emotions.

“It wasn’t your fault, you know,” Phichit hated how useless the words sounded, wrapping his arms around Seung-gil’s shoulders. He felt an ache in his chest, wondering momentarily if his heart was actually breaking, before realizing there was a matching sting in his neck. At the worst time possible, Phichit realized that he needed to return to his own water. Struggling against his own building pain, Phichit kissed Seung-gil’s head. “You need to figure out who you are as an artist, especially if who you are creates as much beauty as is found on that book cover. Don’t waste your talent on pleasing others. Please yourself first,” with a gasp, Phichit felt his body clench, hand accidentally tightening into Seung-gil’s hair.

In an instant, Seung-gil was on his feet, haphazardly throwing the tray over the sinks and grabbing Phichit from the water. All of his dark thoughts vanished from his mind as he listened to Phichit’s labored breathing, legs carrying them both through the house and back onto the path. Moving quickly, Seung-gil let Sasha lead their way back to the water, praying that he would make it safely in the dark.

The world was spinning as Phichit felt his head tip backwards. Every breath felt dry with pain, his chest heaving with his own effort to stay conscious. Distantly he heard the splash of water, feeling the cool wetness flood over his tail as Seung-gil carefully lowered him down. Flipping onto his stomach, Phichit pushed off the rest of the way, diving under the water’s surface to feel the relief circulating through his body.

Dropping down on the sand, Seung-gil buried his face in his hands. His selfishness had almost cost Phichit his life and the guilt that chased him onto the island began to loom dangerously in his mind. Chest constricting, he laced his fingers in his hair, ready to scream when his body was knocked backwards onto the sand. Phichit’s smiling face dripped water onto his own, making Seung-gil laugh despite the panic that had been rising inside of him.

“I guess I know my time limit now,” Phichit joked, stroking his hand over Seung-gil’s forehead. Flopping his tail on the sand, Phichit’s smile twitched, “someday you’ll see, someday I’ll be… part of your world!” Phichit’s singing voice was off-key and alarmingly sweet, making Seung-gil dissolve into giggles. Reaching up, Seung-gil laced his hands into Phichit’s wet hair. “Come see me tomorrow?” Phichit asked, lips poking out in a silly pout as he continued to run cold fingers over Seung-gil’s face.

“And every day until forever,” Seung-gil whispered, pulling Phichit down to kiss him. His insecurities could wait for another day. Seung-gil let himself melt under Phichit’s touch, determined to concentrate on the magic in front of him instead of the despair behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Present tense, past tense, future tense, I love you in all of them [atelerixe](https://atelerixe.tumblr.com)!! Thank you for being the best beta ever!! Welcome to 2018, where I am sure to be torturing you through another 500,000 words ;)

**Author's Note:**

> A special thank you to my beta, [atelerixe](https://atelerixe.tumblr.com) who puts up with so much from me, but continues to be my friend anyway. I love you!


End file.
